Cylindrical wall structure.



H. A. SMITH.

CYLINDRICAL WALL STRUCTURE. v APPLlCATION FILED we. 17, 1914..

1,250,685. Patented Dec. 18, 1917 3 vwemlio'o HIRAM A. SMITH, or PAW PAW, MIcHrGAiuL To (ZZZ'u-Iwmitmay concerm Be it known that I, IlIltAlL A. SMITH, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Paw Paw, Michigan, have invented certain new and useful.Improvements in Cylindrical-W all Structures, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to improvements-in V cylindrical wall structures. y

In the building of cylindrical wall struc-'* tures, such as silos, of blocks or staves of concrete or other material, where the blocks are of considerable size the'blocks or stares are commonly disposed on end and it is customary to provide the structure with encircling hoops, the hoops being disposed'at the joints when the blocks are laid in tiers without lapping the joints, so that the blocks are supported by the hoops at their ends only, and when the blocks are laid to lap the hoops are disposed so as to cross. the joints of part of the blocks and the centers of the remaining blocks, the result in either case is a tendency to break the blocks at the center under the stresses to which they are subjected in adjusting themselves in the wallwhich, in addition to the resulting damage to the structure, is asource of danger.

It is the main object of my present inven-i tion to provide a cylindrical wall structure well adapted for silos and similarstructures in which the wall blocks are so laid and supported by the hoops that the likelihood of the blocks breaking under the stresses to which they are subjectedin the Wallis re mote.

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices andmeans described inthe following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out inthe claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of. my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification, in which;

Figure I is a front elevation of a silo embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. II is a detail horizontal section on a line corresponding to line 2-2 of Fig. I, the

hoop being shown in full lines.

Fig. III is a deta1l vertical section on a line corresponthngto line 33 of Fig; I.

Fig. IV is a detail view showing features;

of the door casing blocks 2.

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j lspeeificatilon of Letters latent. jlatente d Dec, 18,1917, Application filed August, 1914. Serial No. 857,132. I

'Fig; V'isan enlarged detail section on a line corresponding to line '5-5 of Fig. I, showing featuresof thewallblocks 3. Fig. VIIis-a'cliagranimatic view illustrate ing a method which may be employed in thebuilding of silos such asillustrated in Fig. I.

' In the drawing similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the'little' arrows at the ends of the sectionlines.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a concrete foundation for the silo.

I-provide door oasing'blocks- 2 and wall blocks 3.- The door casing blocks are somewhat thicker thanthe wall blocks, see Figs."

II and IV, and are 'preferabl'y son'iewhat wider. The door casing blocks are provided with tongues .4 on their facing edges, thev tongues being located toward the front side of the blocks "and adapted to receive the grooves 5 on the ends'ofthecross bars or door sill members 6; These door sill members are disposed at the joints of the door casing blocks with their ends lapping and abutting the edges of adjacent blocks. The

door casing blocks are provided with sill engaging lugs 7 adjacent their ends so that the sill members 6 are properly located and the lugsassist in supporting thesills. Thedoor casing blocks are rabbetted at 8 on their rear sides to provide stops for the doors 10. The

7 describe the same in further detail herein.

#The Wall blocks 3 are provided with tongues ll and grooves 15 on their vertical edges, their ends being fiat as shown in Fig. V.

The wall blocks are laid incourses, the

blocksof the courses being staggered so asv to interlap or break joints with the blocksof the adjacent courses. The blocks are-laid so that their laps are substantial and uni form, lapping. preferably. one-third .the length of the blocks, and in the structure illustrated the wall blocks are so'laid. The

length Ofthe lap may,*however, be considerably varied and practical results still be secured. 'The encircling hoops: 16' are disposed about the courses and acrossthe door sill members 6 and the door casing blocks.

The hoops are preferably 'ais es'eaeentraiiy hoops and are not broken or dislocated by such stresses,and at the same time the blocks are freeto adjust themselves to a bearing at their vertical edges to withstand the stresses to'which they are subjected in the 1 Wall and the stressesof the hoops. The

interlapping long and short ends of the blocks, that is, relatively long and short to theposition of the hoops thereon, coact to provide a perfect balance, so that, as has been demonstrated in practice, they readily accommodate themselves to stresses and strains, and thelikelihood of the blocks breaking. under strains and stresses in the wall is, very remote, as has been demonstrated in the erection of silos by practical experience. l 7

While I prefer to lay the blocks with the one-third and two-thirds laps as illustrated, this can be considerably varied and quite satisfactory results be secured if the lap is substantially unequal and the hoops placedso as to cross each wall block between one end and the center thereof and at a substantial distance from its end and center.

While. I. prefer to form the blacks with fiat abutting ends quite satisfactory structures will result if the ends are tongued and grooved together the same as the sides as it is-found. that the blocks will still'adjust themselvesto a considerableeXtent in the wall to compensate for irregularities in the blocks and the stresses arising from hooping and: the vibration of the structure from windv or other causes.

In starting a wall, such as in the structure illustrated, where the length of the average block is thirty inches, 1 provide door casing starting blocks 2 ten inches in length and wall starting blocks 3 twenty inches in length. These are laidas shown in the diagram in Fig. VI. A suitable filler17ibeing used at the bottom of the door opening, there being as many fillers used as desired. The blocks 3. are also used in the top tier or tinishingtier. Where the lugs 7 interfere with the laying-pf the filler blocks 17 thellugs are chiseledout. Thecasingblocks are grooved on both sides of the lugs 7 to Copies of this patent may be obtained for receivethe tongues of the filler blockswhere several'are used.

I have illustrated and described my improvements embodied in a silo, but it will be readily understood that certain features thereof canbe readily adapted for other circularwaltstructures, such as water tanks, stand'p1p es,gra1n blns, cribs and the like, and while I have referred to the blocks as being concrete blocks it-will beunderstood that any suitable materialmay be emp'loyed.

Havingthus describedmy' invention; what I claim as'new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A cylindrical wall structure of the class described, comprising door-3 casing blocks disposed on end, door sill members disposed at the doorcasing block joints with their ends abu'tting'the edges of adjacent door casing blocks, wall blocks laid in courses, the blocks being staggered in. the courses and breaking joints with those of adjacent courses, said wall blocks havingv coacting'tongues and :grooves'on their ver tical edges and fiat abutting end-joints, the lap of said blocks being substantially'one third their length, and'hoops disposed about the courses centrally between opposite ends of alternate blocks thereof and across the E001" sills, all coacting forthe-purpose speci+ 2. A cylindrical wall structure of the class described, comprisingwall blocks laid in courses with the blocksstaggered in the courses and breaking jointswith thoseiof adjacent courses, the lap of the blocks being substantially. one-third their "length, and

hoops disposed about thecourses centrally betweenthe opposite ends of. the alternate blocks thereof so 'thatthe blocks have alternately long and short ends relative to the hoops and coact with the blocks of adjacent courses inbalancing. and-adjusting to stresses.-

3. A cylindrical Wall structure of the class described, comprisingwall blocks'laid in courses withthe blocksstaggered in the courses and breakingjoints with those of adjacent courses, the "lap of the blocks being substantially one-third their length, and hoops disposed about the courses centrally betweenthe opposite ends of the'staggered blocks thereof. I

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses.

HIRAM A. SMITH.

lVitnesses i C Bi- DnsJARniNs,

Marni; smear.-

five cents each. by addressing t1ieCommiss'ioner otPatents. Washington, D. 0.. 

